Counterfeit Miracles

In 1917, Benjamin Warfield was invited to deliver the Thomas Smyth lectures for 1917–1918 at Columbia Theological Seminary in Columbia, South Carolina. The subject was the perennial issue of discerning true miracles of the Holy Spirit in God’s church from the imposters that distracted the church from its mission – and took away its strength. The subjects Warfield spoke on provide a comprehensive treatment of the different types of miracles claimed to be from the Holy Spirit. Together they provide helpful teaching to enable us to not be sidetracked from the essential work of the church in declaring the gospel and discipling believers.

Subjects Covered
• The Cessation of the Charismata • Patristic and Mediaeval Marvels • Roman Catholic Miracles • Irvingite Gifts • Faith-Healing • Mind-Cure

B. B. Warfield was a champion of confessional Christianity and would not countenance any truce bought at the price of compromise. A lady once met him during the week of the General Assembly. ‘Dr Warfield, I hear that there is going to be trouble at the Assembly. Do let us pray for peace.’ ‘I am praying,’ replied Warfield,‘that if they do not do what is right, there may be a mighty battle.’

This edition was re-typeset in 2024.

Benjamin Breckenridge Warfield (1851-1921) is widely recognized as the greatest English-speaking theologian of the early twentieth century.

Born in Lexington, Kentucky, he entered Princeton College in 1868 and later graduated from the Seminary in 1876. After a brief spell of pastoral ministry in Baltimore, he taught at Western Seminary, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, before succeeding A.A. Hodge as Professor of Didactic and Polemical Theology in 1887.

Always generous in his acknowledgement of God-given scholarly gifts and insights, Warfield was also devastating in his critical analysis of every misuse to which he saw such gifts being devoted. While Warfield was wide-ranging in his scholarly interests, encyclopaedic in his knowledge and graceful in his writing, the chief feature of all his work was his deep loyalty to Christ.